Every business — including screen printing businesses — requires a space to get up and running. The location you choose for your business will, in part, determine the success of your business. That’s why we have chosen to devote our next two blogs to choosing the right location for your screen printing business.

Whether you’re looking to start a screen printing business in your home garage or expand your growing business to a larger commercial space, there’s a lot that you need to consider.

As you start your search for a location for your screen printing business, there are several types of properties you’ll look at, and several elements you will need to consider. Even if you think your home is the right location, you still will need to evaluate the qualities of the property and how they are able to meet your business’s needs. At the most basic level, there are a few things you will need to consider as you begin to look at real estate.

Visibility and accessibility

Everyone knows that real estate is all about location. The location you choose for your screen printing shop will help to support the success of your business. As you search, you will want to look for a space that matches with your business’s goal. At the very least, you will want something that is visible and accessible. Even if you don’t plan to have a lot of walk-in traffic, choosing a location with visibility will help spread the word about your business to local customers. Your signage and your store front will make passersby aware of your business and your services, and it’s especially valuable if you plan on having a retail storefront. Accessibility is another must. You will need a location that gives access to customers who are coming to pick up orders or who are coming in to discuss their product options with you. You also will need to be sure that your shop is accessible to deliveries of supplies and equipment.

Zoning

As you evaluate potential locations for your screen printing shop, you will have to evaluate the zoning of potential properties to make sure your chosen location allows for the legal operation of your business. If you’re looking to open your shop in your home, you will have to see if your local residential zoning code allows for home-based businesses. If you’re looking for a separate business location, you will be looking at commercially zoned properties.

You’ll want to make sure your location can handle your equipment in terms of
space, power requirements and zoning. (Pictured: Anatol’s Vulcan gas conveyor dryer)

Most screen printing shops choose to locate in areas that are zoned for industrial and manufacturing uses, but some screen printing shops, particularly ones that are marketing their own designs or that are looking to allow people to print one-off or small batches of their own prints, choose retail locations. If retail space appeals to you, know that some areas might not allow screen printing in an area zoned for retail. If you are working with a realtor, he or she should be able to give you guidance on choosing a property that permits your screen printing business, but it’s always safest to double check with your city’s zoning office to verify that you will be allowed to use the space for screen printing before you sign on the dotted line.

Cost

You also will need to be sure that the cost of renting and running your selected location will fit within your business’s budget. Rent will be your main cost, but you have to carefully consider all of the costs that go with your preferred location. Factor in electricity, heating and cooling, water, waste disposal and insurance. This will take some research on your part. If you are renting, you should be asking the landlord about what is covered in the rent and the typical costs of utilities. Whether you’re renting or buying, if your location is in an industrial park or commercial plaza, you can talk with the surrounding businesses about their monthly utility and operating costs to help you make your best estimate at the true monthly cost of your potential location.

Choosing a location for your screen printing business is a major decision. There are a lot of different elements to take into consideration; visibility and accessibility, zoning and cost are just the preliminary considerations. Once you narrow down your options, you will want to delve deeper to determine which spaces will work for your screen printing shop. Our next blog will help you know what requirements you will need to look for in a business location.